Book delivering cabinet



May 11, 1937. c.. H. BERILL BOOK DELIVERING CABINET Filed May 4, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet l Fig.2.

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' BOOK DELIVERING CABINET Filed May 4, 1952 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORQ dd 5 r; ll

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A TTORNEY .1

Mziy I1, 1937., c. H. BERILL 2,080,219

BOQK DELIVERING CABINET Filed May 4, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 MATTORNEY o. moves.

Patented May 11, 1937 BOOK DELIVERING CABINET Carroll H. Bel-ill, New York, N. Y., assignor of one-half to Eugene Gruen, New York, N. Y.

Application May 4, 1932, Serial No. 609,110

19 Claims.

This invention relates to holders for books or similar articles and particularly to a cabinet, table-or frame adapted to contain one or a plurality of books and wherein a novel means is employed for facilitating the withdrawal of the book.

The invention is particularly adapted for the storage of relatively heavy books such as large catalogs, ledgers and other books of account and one object of the invention is to provide an improved means for moving the book, Without great expenditure of effort, from inside the cabinet to a position where it is conveniently accessible for examination.

In the embodiments of my invention herein disclosed the containing frame or cabinet is formed with an opening in its top and extending downwardly into the cabinet from the opening are guides along which the book holder The book holder itself is preferably attached to the back of the book so that when the holder is raised through the opening in the cabinet the book may be opened. To facilitate the raising or withdrawal of the book from the cabinet, I provide an operating connection between the book holder or book holding carriage and the guides or other stationary parts of the cabinet which connection comprises a spring so tensioned and arranged that it tends to raise the book holder and book in the guides. In the preferred form of my invention this means consists of a shaft having gears which engage a stationary rack forming part of the guide and adapted to rotate this shaft in a direction to raise the book holder, I provide a spring suitably connected to the holder and shaft.

When my invention is applied to a desk or table as, for example, when it is desired to store books of account, the openings in the table top are preferably formed at the back of the table and means is provided whereby the books and book holders may be moved forward along the table after they are withdrawn from the interior so that the books are readily accessible for examination by one seated at the table.

Other advantages of my invention include simplicity of construction, economy of space and ease of manipulation.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

. Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shelf or bracket cabinet embodying one form of my in vention;

Figure 215 a sectional View taken on a vertical plane extending centrally through one of the book holders showing the holder inside the cabinet in partly raised position, certain of the parts being shown in section and. other parts in elevation;

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the book holder or carriage showing one of the raising gears and a portion of the rack with which the gear meshes;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a portion of a desk embodying a modification of my invention wherein the book holder, after withdrawal from the interior of the desk, is adapted to move the book forward toward the front of the desk;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view in a plane at right angles to the right of the desk showing in vertical section the book holder disclosed in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is an enlarged detail rear end elevation with certain of the parts removed;

Figure 8 is a side elevation of the book holder frame in a partly collapsed position;

Figure 9 is a detail of a spring catch holding the book holder in its lower position; and

Figures 10 and 11 are detail views of portions of the structure shown in Figure 6.

Referring to Figure 1, reference character l0 indicates a bracket or shelf formed with side plates H, a back plate l2 to be secured to a wall,-

a front l3 formed with vertical slots [5 and a top l6 formed with an enlarged opening I? and a bottom l9 all forming an interior space I8 adapted to contain the books or other articles. Adapted to move up and down in the space l8 are four book holders or carriages designated generally by reference character 20. These book holders in the present form of the invention each comprise a top plate or frame 2| formed with downwardly extending sides 2| and downwardly extending front and rear ends 22 and 22' respectively, the rear end 22 being formed with a rearwardly projecting guide member 23 adapted to slide in guides 25 secured to the rear wall |2 of the shelf l0. Mounted on the top of the frame 2| at the rear and front ends respectively are guides 26 and 26', the outer ends of which are formed with lateral extensions or lugs, the

extensions of the rear plate 26 being adapted to I slide in guides 25 and the lateral extensions of the forward plate 26 being adapted to slide in similar guides 25 secured inside the front wall of the-shelf Ill. The plates 26 may conveniently be riveted as at 3| to the plate 2| and this securing means may also serve to attach to the plate 2|, front and rear brackets 32 and 32 connected to one another by a rod or bar 33 adapted to extend through the book 34 for holding it in place on the book holder. If desired, side plates 38 may be hinged to the frame 2| to form a protecting backing for the book and these plates are preferably bent inwardly at their upper or outer edges 40 so as to close the space IT in the shelf when the books are closed and in their lowered. position.

Rotatably mounted in the downwardly extending portions 22 and 22 of the plate 2| is a sleeve 42 through which passes a shaft 43, which may be a long bolt with a countersunk head, the outer ends of which respectively carry gear wheels 44 and 44. There is no direct con- 'nection rigidly securing the gears 44 to the shaft 43 but these gears are adapted to be pressed into tight frictional contact with the ends of the sleeve 42 by means of a nut 47 screw threaded on the outer end of the shaft 43. Tightening of the nut 41 serves to press the forward wheel 44 into engagement with the sleeve 42 which in turn is pressed against the rear gear wheel 44 the enlarged rear end 49 of the shaft 43 receiving the reaction thrust under the pressure from the nut 47. It will be seen from this construction that while shaft 43, sleeve 42 and gear wheels 44 are separable from one another, with the nut tightened all become one rigid structure rotatable as a unit in the frame 2|. Gear wheels 44 and 44' are respectively adapted to engage vertical racks 55 forming respectively parts of the front and rear guides for the book holder at.

Surrounding the sleeve 42 is a helical spring 50, the rear end of which extends through the sleeve 42 and the shaft 43 thus joining the two together and the forward end of which is suitably secured to the frame 2|. The spring 50 is tensioned so that it tends to rotate the gear wheels 44 and 44 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figure 3, thus tending to raise the book holder. This tension may be adjusted by loosening the nut 4'! which frees the gear wheels from the sleeve 42 and shaft 43 and then turning the shaft 43 to wind or unwind the spring 50. When the spring 50 has received the proper tension in this manner the nut 47 is tightened, thus securing the gear wheels to the shaft and sleeve. For the purpose of turning the shaft 43 to adjust the tension of the spring 59, I may, if desired, form the outer end of the shaft with a slot 56 adapted to receive a screw driver or similar tool. A bracket 51 secured to the inner face of the forward downwardly extending portion 22 of the frame 2| extends outwardly through the slot I5 and thence upwardly and is formed with an opening 60 into which extends the forward end of the shaft 43. This bracket has secured against its outer face a handle 6| used in lifting the book holder when it is desired to remove the book from the cabinet. The tension of the spring in the case of a relatively heavy book, such as a large telephone directory is ordinarily adjusted so that the book holder may be lifted with a comparatively slight pull upward on the handle 6|. It will be noted that when it is desired to return the book to the interior of the shelf, it is merely necessary to close the book when its weight slightly overbalancing the tension of spring 50 will cause the book holder automatically to drop to its lowered position inside the cabinet. If desired, of course, the spring may be tensioned so as automatically to raise the book holder, in which case, however, a suitable catch such as that shown in Figure 6, will be provided at the bottom of the guide ways in order to hold the book holder and its book in its lowered position when it is returned to the cabinet.

It will be noted that two gears 44 and 44' connected to the shaft 43 and cooperating with the front and rear racks serve to prevent any binding of the book holder in the guides 25 when the holder 29 is raised. In raising, for example, any slight upward movement of the forward end of the book holder serves to rotate the forward gear 44 and this in turn communicates this motion through the shaft 43 to the rear gear 44 with the result that the rear end of the book holder is raised evenly with the forward end thus avoiding canting or binding of the holder in the guideways.

In Figures 5 to 8 I show a modification wherein the book holding compartment is formed at the rear of a desk 70. The top of the desk is formed and rear edges of the opening 12 are pairs of' rear guides 13 and front guides 13 of similar construction to those shown in the Figures 2 to 4. The book compartment 69 is formed with a bottom '55 adapted to support the books and book holders when they are in their lowered position.

Frame or plate 2! is of similar construction to the plate 2| and has downwardly extending end portions 22 and 22 in which is journaled a shaft 75 carrying at opposite ends gear wheels 16 and I6 which mesh respectively with vertical racks ll located respectively between the guide strips 74 and M and the front and rear walls respectively of the compartment 69. Surround ing the shaft 75 is a sleeve 80 and between the shaft and sleeve is a helical spring 8| secured at its rear end to the shaft as shown at 82 and at its forward end 84 to the sleeve 80. A removable pin extends through the frame 2| and cylinder 80 as indicated in Figure 6, thus rigidly connecting the sleeve or cylinder 80 with the plate 2|. By removing the pin I26 from the plate 2| the cylinder 89 may be rotated to adjust the tension of the spring and the pin then reinserted.

Plate 2| is designed to support a collapsible book holder frame designated generally by the reference character 90. This frame comprises two side channel bars 9| rigidly connected at their ends to cross pieces 92. The two side bars 9| and the cross pieces 92 form together a rectangular frame section which I have designated generally by the reference character 94. Frame section 94 is slidable forward and backward along the top of the table and is guided in its travel by rollers I20 mounted on trunnions 96 secured to blocks 99 and 99 mounted on plate 2|.

Pivotally mounted on the trunnions 96 extending outwardly from the block 99, are side bars 9'! forming a frame section I00. The outer or free ends of the pivoted frame section I00 and the sliding frame section 94 are pivotally connected by a frame section 91 comprising a plate ||0 having side and end flanges i Frame section 91, in the open position of the collapsible frame 90, forms an upwardly inclined support for the book rack I II as shown more clearly in Figure 6. Plate III) has at its upper end, as shown in Figure 7, a U-shaped bracket which forms a support for a shaft Hi6. Shaft Hi6 forms a pivot for the upper ends of the bars 91. End flanges III of the plate IIIl form a support for the book holding rod 33'. The parts of the collapsible book holding frame 90 when the frame is removed from the compartment 69 are normally held in position shown in Figures 5 and 6 by springs I05 surrounding the shaft I06 and connected at their outer ends to the bars 91 and bearing at their inner ends against the inner side of the plate I I6.

In order to collapse the frame 90 so that it may be moved down into the opening I2 in the desk, it is merely necessary to press against the forward end of the frame section 94, this frame section sliding backward along the top of the desk, the frame sections 91 and I00 turning in a counterclockwise direction and the parts assuming the position in which the frame sections 91 and I00 lie fiat against the top of the plate 2|. Figure 8 shows the frame 90 in a partially collapsed position. I may, if desired, provide a resilient catch I I 5 adapted to cooperate with the rear cross pieces or flange III to hold the frame 90 in collapsed position. When the book has been closed and the frame 90 collapsed, the book and book holder may be moved downwardly into the compartment 69 by a comparatively light push downward against tension of the spring BI, this spring preferably being of such tension as to automatically raise the book holder. When the book holder has reached the bottom of compartment 69, a suitable spring catch I I9 adapted to cooperate with a gear 58 as shown in Figure 9 serves to prevent the book holder from rising. Catch H9, is resilient and is normally biased to its raised or looking position and may be depressed to release the catch, by a rod I22 moved by a bell crank lever I23 which in turn is operated by a push rod I24 mounted to slide in a bracket I25 and the front flange I25 of the desk top.

While I have shown a spring for raising the book holder, it will be understood that in certain cases I may employ electrical or hydraulic means.

Having now described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A desk having an opening inthe top thereof and formed with a book holding compartment communicating with said opening, a book holder movable into and out of said compartment through said opening, spring mechanism for moving said a holder and a book carried thereby out of said compartment and means for advancing a book carried by said holder along the top of said desk.- said means being operable only after said holder has been moved out of said compartment.

2. A desk having an opening in the top thereof and formed with a book holding compartment communicating with said opening, a rack in said compartment extending downwardly from said opening, a gear meshing with said rack, spring meansfor actuating said gear, a book holder on which said gear and spring means are mounted, acatch located adjacent the bottom of said rack for holding said book holder in said compartment andmeans outside said cabinet for releasing said catch.

3. A cabinet having a book holding compartment therein, a holder adapted to support a book sothat it may be opened, said book holder movable directly from the interior of said compartment to the top of said cabinet, and movable along the top of said cabinet and spring means for assisting such movements.

4. A cabinet having a book holding compartment therein, a holder adapted to support a book so that it may be opened, said book holder movable directly from thelinteriorof said compartment to the top of said cabinet, and movable along the top of said'cabinet, spring means for moving said holder out of said compartment and spring means for advancing a book carried by said holder along the top of said cabinet.

5. In a device of the class described, a pair of spaced stationary racks, a carrier extending between said racks, a shaft mounted on said carrier and having a screw threaded end, gears loose on said shaft and meshing with said racks, a sleeve surroundingsaid shaft, a gear actuating spring surrounding said sleeve, said spring being secured at one end to said sleeve and shaft and at the other end to said carrier, and a nut carried by said threaded end and adapted to press said gears against said sleeve whereby on tightening of said nut the gears are operatively connected with said shaft and on loosening of said nut said sleeve and shaft may be turned to adjust the tension of said spring.

6. The combination with a support, of a collapsible book holding frame mounted thereon, said frame consisting of a section slidably mounted on said support, a book supporting frame section pivotally connected to one end of said sliding section and a frame section pivotally connected to a fixed point of said support and to said book supporting frame section.

'7. The combination with a support, of a colsection and a frame section pivotally connected to a fixed point of said support and to said book supporting frame section, and a spring connecting two of said sections and tending to move them in a direction to increase their angular relationship.

8. A cabinet formed inside with a plurality of guides arranged side by side, a plurality of narrow elongated carriages adapted to be raised and lowered along said guides, said carriages being located side by side closely adjacent to one another, means mounted on said carriages for holding a book and tending to tilt the book when raised, a shaft extending along and located beneath each carriage, a spring encircling and con nected to said shaft and tending to rotate the same and means carried by said shaft and cooperating with said guides for raising said carriage.

9. A cabinet formed inside with a plurality of guides arranged side by side, a plurality of narrow elongated carriages adapted to be raised and lowered along said guides, said carriages being located side by side and closely adjacent.to one another, means mounted on said carriages, each adapted to hold and embrace a book and being formed with inwardly bent end portions which in the lowered position of said carriages are substantially flush with the top of the cabinet and means extending lengthwise of and beneath each carriage for assisting in raising the carriage.

10. A desk formed inside with a plurality of guides arranged side by side, a plurality of narrow elongated carriages adapted to be raised and lowered along said guides, said carriages being located side by side and closely adjacent to one another, means mounted on said carriages, each adapted to hold and embrace a book and being formed with inwardly bent end portions which in the lowered position of said carriages are substantially flush with the top of the desk, means extending lengthwise of and beneath each carriage for assisting in raising the carriage and means for advancing a book held by said first named means along the top of said desk after it has been raised.

11. A cabinet formed inside with a plurality of guides arranged side by side, a plurality of narrow elongated carriages adapted to be raised or lowered along said guides, said carriages being located side by side and closely adjacent to one another, means mounted on said carriages, each adapted to hold and embrace a book and having an inwardly extending portion which in the lowered position of the carriage is substantially flush with the top of the cabinet and means extending lengthwise of and beneath a carriage for assisting in raising it.

12. A cabinet having an opening in top thereof and formed with a book holding compartment communicating with said opening, a book holder movable into and out of said compartment through said opening, spring mechanism tending to move said holder and book carried thereby out of said opening and means tending to tilt said book when it has been removed from said cabinet and for supporting it in tilted position.

13. A cabinet having an opening in the top thereof and formed with a book holding compartment communicating with said opening, a book holder movable into and out of said compartment through said opening, said holder comprising a narrow elongated plate and a book holding frame carried thereby, spring actuated means extending along and extending beneath said plate and tending to raise said holder and means tending to move said frame along said plate after said plate has been raised to a position substantially flush with the top of said cabinet.

14. A cabinet having an opening therein and formed with a book holder compartment communicating with said opening, a book holder movable into and out of said compartment through said opening, spring mechanism tending to move said holder and book carried thereby and spring operated means for assisting in tilting said book when it is removed from said cabinet and for supporting it in tilted position.

15. A book holding cabinet formed at the top with an opening leading to an unobstructed space inside the cabinet, a plurality of long narrow carriages arranged side by side closely adjacent to one another, a shaft mounted on each carriage and extending the length of the carriage, gears mounted on opposite ends of said shafts, racks fastened to the cabinet at opposite ends of the carriage adapted to cooperate with said gears to raise the carriage, a spring surrounding said shaft for rotating said gears, side members on said carriage forming a cover for the book held thereby, the side members on the carriage being adapted to engage the side members on adjacent carriages to maintain the books in closed position while the books are in the cabinet and serving as side guides for movement of the carriage and book carried thereby.

16. A book holding cabinet formed at the top with an opening leading to an unobstructed space inside the cabinet, a plurality of long narrow carriages arranged side by side closely adjacent to one another, a shaft mounted on each carriage and extending the length of the carriage, gears mounted on opposite ends of said shafts, racks fastened to the cabinet at opposite ends of the carriage adapted to cooperate with said gears to raise the carriage, a spring surrounding said shaft for rotating said gears, side plates on said carriage forming a cover for a book held thereby and extending beyond the outer edge of the book, the adjacent plates of adjacent carriages engaging one another to maintain the books in closed position while in the cabinet and serving as guides for the movement of carriage and book carried thereby.

1'7. A book holding cabinet formed at the top with an opening leading to an unobstructed space inside the cabinet, a plurality of long narrow carriages arranged side by side closely adjacent to one another, a shaft mounted on each carriage and extending the length of the carriage, gears mounted on opposite ends of said shafts, racks fastened to the cabinet at opposite ends of the carriage adapted to cooperate with said gears to raise the carriage, a spring surrounding said shaft for rotating said gears, side plates on saidcarriage forming a cover for a book held thereby and extending beyond the outer edge of the book,

the adjacent plates of adjacent carriers engaging 18. A book holding cabinet formed at the topwith an opening leading to an unobstructed space inside the cabinet, a plurality of long narrow carriages arranged closely adjacent to one another,

a shaft mounted under each carriage and extending the length thereof, spring actuated means at the ends of the shaft and extending along the front and back of the cabinet for raising the carriage, means mounted on the carriage adapted to engage similar means mounted on adjacent carriages for guiding the movement of the carriage and said carriage in its raised position projecting into said opening to maintain the space between the adjacent carriages for downward movement of the book into said opening,

19. A book holding cabinet formed with an opening at the top and inside with a plurality of guides arranged side by side, a plurality of elongated carriages adapted to be raised and lowered along said guides, said carriages being located side by side closely adjacent to one another and said guides being located at opposite ends of said carriages, a shaft extending along and located beneath each carriage, means carried by said shaft and cooperating with said guides for raising the carriage and spring means for rotating the shaft and moving a book held by the carriage to a tilted position out of said opening.

CARROLL H. BERILL. 

